Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1887-03-09
OUR COURT HOUSE.
Barber County Row Has the Best One IN
Southern Kansas.
A Three Story Bold Building Of Brick and
Stone,

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Southern Kansas.
A Three Story Solid Building Of Brick and
Stone,
And Jail That Will Safely Hold the Nos.
Desperate Criminal.
AT the session of the legislature in
1888, bill was passed authorizing the
county commissioners of Barber coun-
to issue and sell bonds to the amount
of $4,000, the proceeds to be devoted
TO building court house and Jail for
the county, provided two-fifths of the
resident voters of the county so petit
toned. The petitions were presented
last May. In June the bonds COM
manded premium of $S75 on the lot.
Later the contract was let to G. L.
Freeman, of this city, who agreed to
complete 1t for SCI ,121.OO. The con-
tract for the Jail cells, vault doors, and
iron stairway for the jail, was let for
$2,7O0.00, and Barber county can now
boast of the most elegant and sub
stantial court house and Jail in South
ern Kansas. 1t is completed and this
week will be occupied by the county Of
ticers, who are very proud Of their new
quarters.
The size of the building is 5Sx7S feet.
1t has a full basement story of solid
stone, an Office floor, with ceilings Is
feet high and third story and court
room with ceiling 20 feet high.
The foundation is of Cowley county
stone, laid in the best lime and cement
and is 80 inches thick. The second
story, or main floor, is of brick, with
stone caps and and trimmings and is
10 inches thick, while the third story
and court room is enclosed with a 16-
inch wall Of brick and stone.
The exterior of the building is per-
feet in architectural design, the monot-
Ony of broad walls being relieved by
angles, pretty designs in cornices and
artistically cut stone. The roof is
metallic, tastefully painted, and the
front of the building is surmounted
with massive dome of brick, stone,
iron and wood. From the level of the
main entrance to the apex of the dome
is 100 feet. In this dome is place for
a four-dial clock, each face being 6
feet in diameter. At convenient dis
tances in the tower are windows from
which view of the surrounding coun-
try may be obtained. This part of the
structure is thoroughly braced and Sc
curely anchored to the foundation
story with four iron rods II inches in
diameter. During the severe wind of
three weeks, ago this cupola did not
show the least evidence of weakness,
and j. M. Bundy, who was foreman on
the building remained in the top for
more than an hour when the wind was
highest, just to see what would be the
effect.
The main entrance to the building
is on the north, being a broad door,
which leads into hallway, and from
this entrance are two pairs Of steps,
one leading to the basement story and
the other to the office floor. With the
obliging contractor, who erected the
building from cellar to dome, G.. T..
Freeman, we will descend the first
stairway TO the right and this brings
us into the hall dividing the Jail and
the sheriff's family apartments. The
hallway is ten feet wide with ceiling
13 feet high. On the west are the four
rooms occupied by the sheriff and his
family. First is a parlOr, 1SxlS; then a
chamber, 12x1S; dining room, 12x2O;
a china closet, in solid stone masonry;
a kitchen 1Sx20 and pantry made of
brick and stone. These rooms are all
dry, well lighted and ventilated and
elegantly finished. They are away
from the public part of the building
and a deadeDed ceiling keeps out all
noise from the upper rooms.
Across the hall from the south end
of these apartments is the sheriff's Of
flee, and the outside entrance to the
Jail. This Office is 1Sxls, we'll lighted
and comfortable. Leading from this
to the jail is solid iron door and a
grated basket iron door, each locked
separa ely.
The Jail is lsx36 feet in the clear. 1t
is provided with two stone cells, each
lOxlO, one above the other, and these
will be used for prisoners in for mis-
demeanOrs. The Jail proper is COM
posed of set of chrome steel cells and
corridor, with hospital cell on the
north side, of the same material. The
inside cells will accommodate eight pris-
oners, while two can occupy the hos
pital cell. The corridor is furnished
with bath tub, sink, etc., and supplied
with water from huge iron tank on
top of the cells, which is kept filled
from pump and windmill on the out
side. The water and refuse from the
Jail is all carried away in iron pipes to
a sewer on the outside. The ceiling to
the Jail room is made of one-eighth
inch boiler iron, fastened to the ioists
with barbed nails. The floor of the
room is made of stone and cement. and
a prisoner out of the cells and corridor
would require several days to under
mine the foundation. The windows
are guarded with chrome steel graf
ings, set deep into the stone masonry.
Experts have examined this Jail and
have had no hesitancy in pronouncing
1t first class in every particular. The
iron and steel work was furnished by
the Diebold Safe and Lock company.
A large door at the south end of the
two Railways, allows an entrance on
that side of the building as convenient
ly as on the front.
Returning from the basement and
climbing few easy steps. puts the
visitor on the main Office floor, COM
/ rOood of O uvido hal 81 IL